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Skateboarding · Basic · b1

Stance and balance on grass

At home 8 min 1 and a grown-up One room, park

Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.

Start a session

What you are learning

Which foot goes in front (your stance) and how to stand on the board with the feet over the bolts and the knees bent. On grass the board cannot roll away, so balance comes first, safely.

Words on this card Trucks, Stance, Push
Trucks
The metal parts holding the wheels, and the bolts on top of the board that fix them; feet go over the bolts.
Stance
How you stand on the board: left foot in front is regular, right foot in front is goofy.
Push
Pushing along the ground with the back foot, then riding without pushing.

Set up

The board on grass or carpet so it will not roll; helmet and pads on.

Weather: dry ground

The base setup for skateboarding

Show it first for the one teaching

  1. Stand behind the child and give a light push between the shoulders: the foot that steps forward is the front foot. Left in front is regular, right in front is goofy.
  2. Step onto the board: front foot over the front bolts, back foot over the back bolts.
  3. Bend the knees into a small squat, then step off to the side.

Your part while they practise

Give the push test; stand beside, hand ready (do not hold).

Step by step

  1. Find the stance with the push test.
  2. Step on with the feet over the bolts.
  3. Squat with bent knees.
  4. Step off safely.

How much: 5 rounds 8 min a session 3 days a week

Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.

The game: Statues

The child moves on the board (squats, arm swings, looking around); when you call "freeze", they freeze.

Who plays: the child against their own best; you call.

How to play, turn by turn
Turns
  1. The child stands on the board in their stance
  2. Call moves: "squat", "arms up", "look back"
  3. Call "freeze" at random; the child holds still for 3 seconds
  4. 10 freezes
Fair play
A grown-up plays on one foot.
Points
1 point for each freeze held for 3 seconds on the board.
Fouls
No point for that freeze
  • A foot steps off the board
  • The feet move to the ends of the board
  • Straight, locked knees
Winning
Beat your best from 10 freezes.
Stars
  1. 5 points for 1 star
  2. 8 points for 2 stars
  3. 10 points for 3 stars

Easier or harder

Easier

Hold a wall or a hand.

Harder

Close the eyes for two seconds.

What you will see, and what to say

  • the feet are at the ends Feet over the boltsOver the screws.
  • the knees lock Bend your kneesSoft and low.

Self-check

10

Stand on the board for 10 seconds and step off safely 5 times.

Stop and get a coach when

Repeated wrist or ankle pain.

Fitness for this

Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.

This card trains stance, balance.

awiseathlete.com/sports/skateboarding/skateboarding-b1